3D printing hits the high street as Aldi launches 3D printer with MyMiniFactory

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Will Christmas 2017 be the year that 3D printing takes a long anticipated hold in the homes of a wider audience? With more than 10,000 stores in 18 countries, and an estimated turnover of over €50 billion the global supermarket chain Aldi may be better positioned than most to make this a reality.

MyMiniFactory also offers a Click & Print for the STARTT 3D printer. This functionality removes the learning curve from all software aspects. It will be interesting to see if Aldi’s 3D Printer hero will integrate this functionality.

Moving into consumer mass-market

Aldi is one of the first major global retailers to sell a branded consumer-oriented 3D printer. Pre-orders starting just before Christmas show that consumer 3D printing is in a boom – with applications such as Toys & Games being popular – and that the technology will soon compete with other consumer devices like game consoles for Christmas.

In 2016 Aldi tested the market for 3D printers with an offer available at their Australian stores. It would appear that experiment was a success as they are now moving into the UK market – which as reports show is one of the leading regions for 3D printing.

Beau Jackson is Senior Journalist at 3D Printing Industry. With a longstanding commitment to the site's content, she is credited with producing more articles than any other author in its history. Well-versed in the latest 3D printing research and legal/regulatory challenges, her repertoire spans aerospace, automotive, maritime, medical and creative industries. She is a keen speaker and active representative of the company at key additive manufacturing events.